The real scandal is the GOP's lack of solutions to the nation's problems

Commentator Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s recent column on the IRS scandal shows once again why he was twice defeated for governor of Maryland ("IRS scandal is worse than the others," June 16).

He begins his weekly tirade by referring to a "hot dog" as someone who makes "the most outrageous statements of the day" — a spot on self-description.

Mr. Ehrlich then does his best Rep. Darrell Issa imitation by loosely tying President Barack Obama to the latest IRS scandal before congressional hearings have been completed and before all testimony has been released.

(Congressman Issa has not released any full testimony — only partials that fit his one-sided pronouncements. This is a common theme for the current Republican Party — guilty until proven innocent.)

Never one to miss a chance to slam the Affordable Care Act — he prefers the term Obamacare — Mr. Ehrlich ties it to the IRS since that agency collects and processes the data that will be used to certify those who qualify for assistance in acquiring mandatory health insurance (a Republican idea from the 1990s).

He also refers to "the Obama IRS." Since Mr. Ehrlich has served as in Congress he should know there are structural separations between the office of the president and the IRS put in place after the abuses committed by President Richard M. Nixon (a Republican).

I'll give Mr. Ehrlich the benefit of the doubt, maybe he just forgot.

For all the space Mr. Ehrlich uses to complain about the Democratic leadership, the column is still missing a key ingredient if he is to be taken seriously — solutions.

However, Mr. Ehrlich should not be faulted too much for this omission, since the dearth of solutions seems to inflict his party as a whole. It is easy to take potshots at those in power. It is much more difficult to offer up solutions.

I have faith in the American electorate to see through these petty attacks, and so far the electorate has upheld that faith — as evidenced by Mr. Ehrlich's last two election losses.